The Rose That Keeps Us Together
by pyro-pixiechik
Summary: Based on the Utena manga, so there will be characters that aren't seen in the anime. Full summary inside.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Utena, except for this story.  
  
Hey everyone. This is my new fanfic. It's based on the Utena manga, which is a bit different from the anime, so there will be some characters found only in the manga. Anyway, this is the full summary:  
  
After Utena's sacrifice to save her, Anthy and Touga (along with Chu-Chu!) decided to leave Ohtori Academy for a short time to search for her. But, just before they could leave, they get a surprise visit from Kaido (Utena's friend from her old school), Yurika (Utena's aunt), and Aoi (Yurika's boyfriend, who used to attend Ohtori). It turns out that they came to visit Utena, unaware that she is no longer among Ohtori. What will happen when they do find her?  
  
The Choice  
  
Anthy was lying on the top bunk in her old dorm in the East Hall. She had moved out about a month ago into a different dorm in the same hall, but she still came to visit it and even spent nights in it, even though no one was there anymore. This was the dorm that she and Utena used to live in, when they were engaged, and the top bunk was where Utena slept. Not anymore.  
  
They had been good friends. No, they were closer than that. Anthy knew that Utena meant it when she said she'd do whatever she could to save her, and she appreciated it. But still, she didn't know that Utena was willing to risk her life in order to do it, until too late.  
  
Anthy looked at the rose crest ring on her left ring finger. It had belonged to Utena. During those few moments after her sacrifice, Anthy had sworn she heard her voice, and the next moment, the ring had fallen into the palm of her hand.  
  
Anthy closed her eyes and was just starting to drift off when, quite plainly, she heard Utena's voice.  
  
"Himemiya...Himemiya!"  
  
Anthy opened her eyes. The voice sounded so close, as if Utena were whispering into her ear. She sat up and looked around the apparently empty room.  
  
"Himemiya!"  
  
There it was again.  
  
"Lady Utena? Is that you?" she said.  
  
"Himemiya...don't feel so sad. I'm right here."  
  
Tears began to sting at her eyes.  
  
"Where are you, Lady Utena?" she asked  
  
"We'll meet again very soon...look and you'll find me..."  
  
As suddenly as the voice had come, it disappeared. Anthy wiped her eyes. She whispered the last words.  
  
"'Look and you'll find me.'"  
  
Of course, Anthy was more than willing to look for her, but where would she go? Then again, Utena had said that they would meet again very soon. In a split second, Anthy made up her mind. She would leave Ohtori to look for her, just as Utena would have done.  
  
She left the room and walked down the corridor to her own room. She threw some things hastily into her bag and slung it over her right shoulder. She scooped up Chu-Chu and placed him on her left shoulder.  
  
"Chu?" squeaked the pint-sized monkey.  
  
"We're going on a trip, Chu-Chu. We're going to look for Lady Utena," she told him.  
  
"Chu!"  
  
Anthy left the East Hall. The school grounds were as busy as usual, which was good. She didn't want anyone to notice her leaving. But just as she caught sight of the front gate, she heard a shout.  
  
"Himemiya!"  
  
She turned to see Touga approaching her.  
  
"May I ask where you're going?" he said.  
  
"To search for Lady Utena," she said simply. "I know she is still alive."  
  
"How do you know that?" asked Touga.  
  
"Because I just heard her voice. She told me to look for her and we'll meet again," she said.  
  
Touga looked at her.  
  
"I wasn't dreaming, Touga. I heard her voice," said Anthy.  
  
"Then...I will accompany you, Himemiya," said Touga. "I have found it hard to live these days without her."  
  
Anthy studied his face. It was true, Touga did look like he was stressed, and she knew he had loved her.  
  
"Alright, you can come," she said.  
  
She followed Touga to his dorm, nicknamed "The White House," when Touga accidentally bumped into someone.  
  
"Oh, excuse me, I'm so sorry," said the young man.  
  
This young man was plainly not a student at Ohtori; he wasn't wearing a uniform. He was accompanied by a woman and another man.  
  
"No, it's not your fault, I wasn't looking," said Touga.  
  
Anthy stared at the woman with wide eyes. She had pink hair, the same pink as...Her insides began to clench.  
  
"Sir, can you please help us? My niece attends this school. Would you happen to know her by any chance?" asked the woman.  
  
"Perhaps. What's her name?" said Touga, who didn't notice her pink hair, his mind still preoccupied.  
  
"Utena. Her name is Utena Tenjou." 


	2. The Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own Utena.  
  
Hey everyone. How do you like it so far? Like I said before, it's based on the manga, which is a bit different from the anime. Well, let's get on with the story. This chapter may be a bit boring, but that's cuz it's mainly just talking.  
  
The Meeting  
  
"Utena. Her name is Utena Tenjou."  
  
Touga, whose thoughts had been elsewhere, was brought back to the real world with a crash.  
  
"May I ask what your name is?" he said.  
  
"Oh, sorry, how rude of me. My name is Yurika Tenjou. This is Kaido, my niece's best friend, and this is my assistant, Aoi Wakaoji. He used to attend this school," said the pink haired lady.  
  
"Well, is my friend Utena here?" asked the man named Kaido.  
  
Anthy glanced sideways at Touga, and she knew he was thinking the same thing: this was not good.  
  
"Why don't we go to my dorm and talk there? It's much too hot out here," she said.  
  
She and Touga led the guests to the East Hall. Inside, Touga showed them to the tearoom while she and Chu-Chu prepared tea.  
  
"I don't believe we've introduced ourselves. My name is Touga Kiryuu and I'm the Student Council President," said Touga fifteen minutes later.  
  
"And I am Anthy Himemiya," said Anthy.  
  
"Very pleased to meet you," said Aoi.  
  
"So, you want to see your niece?" said Touga.  
  
"Yes, I do. Do either of you happen to know her by any chance?" asked Yurika.  
  
"As a matter of fact, we do. But I'm afraid you won't be able to see her," said Touga.  
  
"Oh, is she in class right now?" asked Yurika.  
  
"Why, yes, she is in class," said Anthy, who had been feeding Chu-Chu.  
  
But something in Anthy's wide green eyes told Yurika she was not being truthful. However, she decided to drop it. But unfortunately, Kaido noticed it too.  
  
"Miss Himemiya, forgive me for being rude, but you're lying," he said.  
  
"Kaido, shut up!" Aoi hissed.  
  
"Look, I just want to see my best friend," he said apologetically.  
  
"Yeah, and besides, she was only going to stay here for about two years," Aoi added.  
  
"Don't you believe us?" said Yurika.  
  
Touga stood up suddenly and began to pace around. After a few minutes, he turned to them again.  
  
"Look, it's not that we don't believe you. But...Utena never said anything about having a family or friends," said Touga.  
  
"Right. She didn't even talk about her past very much, only that she came here 'to find her prince'," said Anthy.  
  
"How do you know about that?" asked Kaido, surprised.  
  
"Of course I do. I was her room mate, after all. I knew her better than anyone," said Anthy.  
  
"But maybe Utena just didn't feel like telling you," said Kaido. "Or maybe you weren't listening."  
  
"Trust me, that wasn't the case," said Touga. "I knew Utena, too. And I have to let you know, when she first came, she didn't mention a family or friends, much less talk about them. In fact, she didn't even look like she left home."  
  
"I know she didn't. She was excited because she was going to meet her prince at last," said Kaido.  
  
"That is true. But like Touga said, she never said anything about having a family or friends," said Anthy.  
  
"You have to understand. Anthy would have known," said Touga.  
  
"But how? She just told us that she was only her room mate," said Aoi.  
  
"Yes they were room mates. But they were so much more," said Touga.  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Kaido. Touga sighed.  
  
"They were best friends. Inseparable. It was impossible to see one without the other. They did everything together. They took the same classes, walked each other after school, slept in the same room, you get the idea. They trusted each other deeply, and I'm sure that if Utena had anything to say, she'd tell Anthy," he said.  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
"So...where's Utena now, if she's not here?" said Kaido.  
  
Neither one answered.  
  
"I'll go and prepare your rooms. You'll be staying here tonight. We'll talk more about it tomorrow," said Anthy abruptly.  
  
End Note: I'm gonna have to put this fic on hold for a while, cuz my exams are coming up, so hang tight till then. 


	3. Overheard

Disclaimer: I don't own Utena.

Hey everyone! Well, I'm finally updating after such a long time. Speaking of time, let's not waste any and get on with Chapter 3.

Overheard

"Wait a minute! Bedrooms? It's only mid-day!" Kaido pointed out.

"Touga and I must prepare for class. Please, make yourselves at home," said Anthy.

After she and Touga left, Kaido, Yurika, and Aoi looked at each other.

"Is it just me, or are they not telling us everything?" said Kaido.

"It's not just you. Something doesn't seem right about those two," said Yurika.

"Yes, I agree. They were being too polite. It's eerie," said Aoi.

"Well, I'm gonna check out the rest of this place. If that Anthy girl really was her room mate, then there'd at least be hints to where Utena might be," said Kaido.

Before either of them could stop him, Kaido had already gotten up and headed for the stairs.

"Impatient fellow, isn't he?" said Aoi.

"No, it's not just that, I'm afraid. For as long as I could remember, Kaido had always been taken by Utena. But she always thought of him as only a friend. It was kind of sad in a way, because Kaido never had the courage to tell her. Anyway, even if he did, it would've been hard for Utena, too, because she'd never want to hurt him," Yurika explained.

"Hmmm. I can understand that. Your niece was certainly a lively girl. Maybe a bit too upfront, but she was a good kid," said Aoi.

Kaido came back, looking a bit discouraged as he sat down.

"What is it?" asked Yurika.

"Nothing. There's absolutely nothing in any of the rooms. I checked all of them. It's like Utena never even existed," he said.

"Well, why don't we just ask Himemiya when she gets back?" said Aoi.

"Oh, I intend to. There's something she's not telling us," said Kaido.

**Several Hours Later**

Kaido woke up with a start, vaguely surprised to see that it was well past midnight. He had dozed off for a while, waiting for Anthy to return. He glanced sleepily around East Hall and was about ready to go back to sleep when he saw a sliver of light from upstairs. Quietly, he tiptoed upstairs until he found the room where the light was coming from. He could hear Anthy speaking in a low voice.

"Don't worry about them, Lady Utena. Tomorrow morning, before they wake up, I will begin my search for you. Remember, the world is still waiting for its revolution. And it begins with us."

_What is she talking about?_Kaido wondered.

He crept back downstairs, knowing it would cause unwanted questions if he were caught. Sitting back on the couch, he pretended to be sleeping. But then, he was hit with a wave of exhaustion so suddenly that before long, he went back to sleep.

Near morning, Kaido heard a voice. His eyes were still closed, but he must still have been tired, because he could not open them.

"Poor boy, even if you were Lady Utena's friend, she is gone. But don't worry about looking for her. I will be the one to bring her back."

_Wait! What are you trying to say? _Kaido thought.

Next thing he knew, Aoi was shaking him awake.

"Huh? What is it? Is Himemiya back yet?" asked Kaido, rubbing his eyes.

"I thought she was, but I guess she went out again because she left a note for us," said Aoi, holding out a piece of paper toward him.

Kaido put on his glasses, took the paper and read it.

_**Went to class. Will be back when over. Breakfast ready in dining room.**_

"Damn! I wanted to talk to her," said Kaido.

**At the Dueling Grounds**

Anthy stared up where the castle used to be before...She shook her head. No, there was no use looking back, now that she knew that this was the place where she would find Utena.

_It's almost time. _she thought.

Note: Okay, I know this chapter wasn't that good, but I promise it'll get better.


	4. Return of the Calyx

Disclaimer: I don't own Utena.

Hey people. Sorry for the long update. School has been driving me crazy. But, since finals are over, I finally found some time.

Return of the Calyx

_It's almost time, _she thought.

Anthy looked upward again, the blue sky stretching for eternity. She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. She envisioned the castle in the sky, where it used to be, and everything inside. She envisioned the duels that took place beneath the castle. And she envisioned _her. _A girl with pink hair, blue eyes, and always wore the boys' uniform. Utena, the one who saw her more than just the Rose Bride, more than just a prize. The one who dueled to protect her, and who dueled for them both. Most of all, she was her prince and her best friend.

Anthy envisioned all these things and a warmth surrounded her body. The familiar scent of roses filled the air all around and it grew warmer. She opened her eyes to see a brilliant light from above, shining down. She looked at the Rose Crest ring on her finger, which was also shining. A small breeze blew and the rose scent intensified.

"Lady Utena?" she said, looking around as a cloud of white rose petals swirled.

The air in front of her began to shimmer and glow, not quite like light, but with something else. The white rose petals seemed to gather in the air in front of her eyes.

_What's happening?_ she thought.

The rose petals kept gathering. The light from above grew brighter, so bright that Anthy could no longer see the petals in front of her. Her mind seemed to go into a small haze. She did not know how much time was passing, until the light slowly began to fade away. She saw the faint outline of a tall girl, with shoulder length hair, dressed in what looked like a boy's uniform. Her heartbeat began to quicken as she hoped-no, _prayed, -_ that this girl was the one she had been searching for. When the light completely vanished, Anthy saw that she no longer had to search anymore. She was right there in front of her, just as Anthy remembered. She was wearing her duelist uniform, her eyes bright, and a serene look on her face. Nothing about her had changed.

"Lady Utena?" Anthy said again.

"Yes, Himemiya. It's me," was the reply.

"I've…I've searched so hard for you," said Anthy as she walked into Utena's arms.

"I knew you would find me," Utena said, as the two embraced while the white petals continued swirling.

"Your friends...and your aunt are here. I think they want to take you home. They suspect me. I don't know what to do," said Anthy.

"Don't worry, Anthy. They won't take me home. This is my true home. I belong here with you," said Utena, breaking off from the embrace.

**Back in the East Hall**

Kaido was pacing around the sitting room in frustration, while Yurika and Aoi were watching with exasperated looks.

"Kaido, will you please relax? You'll wear out the carpet if you keep doing that," said Aoi.

"I can't relax! How can I?! That Anthy girl is hiding something from us. I think she knows where Utena is and she's trying to keep us from seeing her!" Kaido snapped.

"Will you just listen to yourself? Now I know Miss Himemiya is a bit secretive, but why would she be keeping Utena from us?" said Yurika.

"Because...because I heard her talking to someone last night. She said, 'Don't worry about them.' She said some other stuff too, but I didn't really listen because I didn't want to get caught," Kaido said.

"She was probably talking in her sleep or something," said Aoi.

"But the light was on!" said Kaido.

Aoi was about to say something, but then stopped when he heard the front door open.

"Listen, Kaido, I know you want to see Utena; we all do. But please, don't be rude," he said in a quick whisper.

They both turned to see Yurika staring ahead, looking like she was about to faint. Kaido and Aoi looked through the sitting room doorway, where she was looking. At first, they only saw Anthy, wearing a white uniform. But then, they saw the pink-haired girl, dressed in a black uniform. It was Utena. Utena was looking at Anthy, and they were both smiling about something. Kaido had only seen Utena smile like that once, and that was when she was talking about her prince.

_But Anthy can't be her prince! Can she? _thought Kaido.

And then he saw Anthy give Utena a ring.

"Aoi, did you see what I just saw?" asked Kaido in a hushed voice.

But then, Anthy pointed toward them. Utena nodded and the two girls walked to them.

"Aunt Yurika! So nice to see you!" said Utena. "And Aoi, Kaido, you two are here, too? This is a surprise. What are you all doing here?"

"Well...Utena, dear, we've come to take you home. You were only supposed to stay at this place for two years," said Yurika when she found her voice.

Utena's smile seemed to slide off.

"Home? No, I'm not going home."


End file.
